'Moms Talk' Q & A: What Rules or Limits Do You Place on Video Games?

Each week the council will answer a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

This week, the Mom Councils members talk about video game use.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, playing video games for an extended period of time has been linked to attention problems in children. Research shows kids with more than two hours of video game time a day are 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have attention problems.

With that in mind, I asked the moms what they tell their children regarding video games.

Susan Jerome: I had strict rules regarding video games. I did not allow the children to play them during the week, during the school year. The children knew that school/homework was a priority in my house.

Many times it wasn't a problem because they were busy with school. If the opportunity came up where their homework was completed, and checked, then I would allow some time playing the games. They were never allowed more than an hour because I agree, it causes them to have problems with focusing and staying quiet.

Kim Zannetti: Our son loves them, our daughter could care less. We allow our son to play after homework is done, as well as chores. Some days he will play for 20 minutes, sometimes longer, some days he never picks up the controls. So far, he has been pretty responsible. If that should change, then we would intervene.